Hip Pain

Common sprains and strains, sports injuries, and age-related degenerative conditions like arthritis cause hip pain in people of all ages. When conventional medical care doesn’t ease your hip pain, you need the pain management skills of Marcie Merson, MD, at Palm Beach Pain Institute. As a board-certified pain medicine and physical medicine and rehabilitation physician, Dr. Merson can determine the root cause of hip pain in people aged 12 and older and create customized treatment plans to relieve their symptoms. Call the office in Delray Beach, Florida, or request a hip pain consultation online today.

What causes hip pain?

The hip joint is exposed to a great deal of stress because it carries the weight of the upper body and supports leg movement. As a result, hip pain can develop from many causes, including traumatic accidents caused by a fall or automobile accident.

Hip pain frequently develops as you get older, and the tissues in the joint gradually degenerate. Osteoarthritis, the most common cause of hip degeneration and pain, occurs as the cartilage covering the bones breaks down. As more cartilage disappears, bone grates against bone every time you move.

You may also experience hip pain if a lower back condition pinches the spinal nerves or you have sacroiliac joint syndrome (inflammation and ligament problems in the joint that connects your lower spine to your hip bone).

Do sports injuries cause hip pain?

Yes, 6% of sports injuries affect the hip joint. These injuries include muscle strains, ligament sprains, labral tears (affecting the ring of cartilage surrounding the joint), and fractures. People involved in sports are also vulnerable to hip bursitis.

What additional symptoms accompany hip pain?

Hip pain often occurs together with other symptoms, including:

• Joint stiffness
• Swelling or tenderness
• Limited hip movement
• Gait abnormalities
• Hip weakness
• Lower back pain
• Difficulty moving your leg
• Difficulty putting weight on the hip
• Grinding or clicking sensations in the joint

Don’t wait to seek treatment if your symptoms don’t improve or worsen. Early care prevents the underlying condition from progressing to cause more joint damage.

How is hip pain diagnosed?

After learning about your medical history and completing a comprehensive exam, Dr. Merson uses X-rays, MRIs, and ultrasound images to determine the source of your hip pain. 

She can also perform in-office ultrasounds to diagnose the problem and guide specific treatments like joint injections.

Dr. Merson also reviews and explains your images, ensuring you understand your diagnosis and treatment choices.

How is hip pain treated?

As a pain management expert, Dr. Merson offers many possible treatment options, including:

• Physical therapy
• Medication management
• Cortisone injections
• Nerve blocks
• Radiofrequency ablation
• Spinal cord stimulation
• Sacroiliac joint injections
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections
• Osteopathic manipulative therapy (OMT)

Dr. Merson customizes your care, ensuring you receive the treatments you need to target your hip problem.

Call Palm Beach Pain Institute to learn more about hip pain treatments. You can also request a hip pain consultation online at any time.